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t3ch Review - Stealth Guards for iPod Touch 4G
Jason Tsay
Everyone’s heard of the famed ZAGG InvisibleShield, but what about Stealth Guards? Basically, it’s a little company that has been handing out free full body coverage films for over a month now. This is a pretty good way to get your name out there if you’re a small company but just how good are the actual films? Let’s take a look.
Product: Stealth Guards for iPod Touch 4G
What they say it does: Premium military grade material, lifetime warranty, 30 day money back guarantee. high gloss scratch resistant finish, precision fit, invisible protection, added gription (is that even a word?), no added bulk
How We Reviewed It: For protective films, there are two aspects that determine how good it is. First, it has to be easy to apply. And by this we mean air bubbles and adjustability, among other factors. And the second part would be the quality of the product; Does it provide adequate coverage? Is it the appropriate thickness? etc.
My Experience
There’s always a catch with these “free” accessories. In this case, you pay around $2.85 for shipping. Your product will arrive after a couple of weeks in a standard letter envelope with the front and back pieces wrapped inside of the shipping confirmation. It honestly doesn’t feel like it’s even worth the cost of shipping. But let’s not judge this “book” by its cover just yet.
I’m going to be straight up with you - Stealth Guards did not give me a very good first impression. What do I mean? The whole ordering process felt like a scam (no tracking and lack of multiple shipping confirmations) and the fact that my film came unprotected in a letter envelope didn’t help either. You obviously don’t get any squeegees, sprays, or wiping cloths as your would with more expensive options. During application, I had already formed an opinion - I knew that it was not going to be a pleasurable experience. What they call “film” is actually more like vinyl. To be specific, it’s actually really similar to what those $1 plastic beach balls are made of, but thinner. Since the material was not rigid enough, it was quite difficult to apply. Air bubbles were aplenty and when I tried to reapply the shield, the vinyl streched and warped the shape of the film.
Coverage of the device was about the same as a basic kit from ZAGG. There are holes for the home button and camera hole on the front as expected. I’d like to point out that on the back, most of the area below the storage engraving and legal text is left exposed, which isn’t a big deal since the iPod Touch is so thin.
But after letting the film set for a couple of days (I left the device alone overnight and used it over the next few days), the condition actually improved quite a bit. A textured gloss finish began to form on the surface and I could easily grip the device in my hands. It, in no way, resembled what I had put on the device a couple of days ago. I was pretty darn impressed and decided that it wasn’t a total piece of crap at all!
So here’s the verdict - if you know what you’re doing when it comes to applying screen protectors, go for it while the deal lasts. You won’t find a better option at $3 and although it doesn’t have the strength or amenities of an InvisibleShield, it provides more than adequate protection for the average user.
UPDATE - Since writing this review, the company has updated its site with more buying options and a revamped look. When we ordered our unit we did not have the option for “maximum coverage,” a matte finish, nor special designs. (I would assume this review is of the easy install gloss finish film.) The site is still somewhat broken because some product links direct you back to the former page.
T3chH3lp Says
Pro’s: free, pretty great value
Con’s: shady ordering process, somewhat hard to apply
Price: $0 - It’s free!
Where to buy it: Stealth Guards
